Broken
by pastacurls
Summary: Feliciano and Lovino's parents died in a car crash when they were 2. The twins were taken in by their grandfather and lived happily. When the twins are 11 their grandfather falls ill and passes away, leaving the twins with their only remaining family member - an abusive alcoholic uncle. No Itacest, just brotherly love. GerIta, Spamano, USUK. Rated M for violence, smut and swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** – I've been toying with this idea for a while now. I've just been too lazy to actually start writing it. XD Oh well, here it is. Very first Hetalia fanfic so I hope you enjoy it! Reviews/feedback is always welcome. ~PastaCurls

**Summary – **Feliciano and Lovino's parents died in a car crash when they were 2. The twins were taken in by their grandfather and lived happily. When the twins are 11 their grandfather falls ill and passes away, leaving the twins with their only remaining family member - an abusive, alcoholic uncle.

**Rating** – M

**Warnings** – Violence, swearing and smut.

**Main Pairing** – Italy/Romano (BROTHERLY LOVE, NO ITACEST)

**Other Pairing(s)** – GerIta, Spamano, USUK

* * *

><p>3.38am.<p>

'_Anytime now_' Lovino thinks to himself as he stares at the clock on his bedside table, sighing quietly. He glances over at the bed on the other side of the room, his younger twin, Feliciano, sleeping quietly in it. A surge of guilt and worry floods through Lovino as he watches his little brother sleep, knowing he'll be torn away from his peaceful slumber shortly.

Lovino sighs and checks the clock again. 3.40am.

"Not much longer, Feli.." He whispered, more to himself. "I'll get us out of this hellhole soon. I promise."

Not a minute later the walls of the house shake as the front door is swung open, heavy footsteps banging against the floorboards as the twin's 'guardian' stumbles into the house.

Lovino's grip on his bed sheet tightens and he can't stop himself from flinching as the front door is slammed shut, shaking the house once again. He holds his breath and listens as the man downstairs walks through the house into the kitchen, most likely to get a beer from the fridge. There's a grunt followed by a loud thud and the sound of a glass shattering on the floor.

"Lovino?" a small voice whispers.

The boy in question jumps and turns to see his younger brother now sat up in his bed, his hands clenched around the bed covers. Even in the dimly lit room, Lovino can see his brother's small frame shaking.

"..It's alright, Feliciano." He says softly, willing his voice not to waver. "He might go straight to bed."

Lovino knows it's wrong to get his brother's hopes up, but he can't stand the terrified look on Feliciano's face.

"I hope so.." Feliciano whispers back, subconsciously rubbing his left shoulder, attempting to hide the wince as the skin throbs.

Lovino doesn't miss it. He never does.

Loud footsteps clumping up the stairs has both twins' gazes snapping to their bedroom door, the only things between them and another beating.

"Get under the bed." Lovino says quickly as he climbs off his own, his eyes switching between the door and his brother.

Feliciano's eyes fill with tears as the footsteps get louder, but he ignores his brother's words and stays seated.

The older twin's eyes narrow as he fumes.

"Get under the bed, Feliciano!" he hisses, striding over to the lighter haired boy.

"No, it's not fair for you to take it on your own." Feliciano says, sitting up straight as he tries to be brave for his brother.

He reaches out and takes Lovino's hand, tugging him onto the bed beside him so he can curl into his side. Lovino begins to cry, though he doesn't let it show, he never does, and he pulls his baby brother closer, wrapping an arm around him. He wishes desperately for a way out, a way to keep him and his brother safe.

The footsteps are louder now, signalling the man is walking along the hallway, working his way to their bedroom. There's still the smallest hope that the man could be heading straight to bed and won't bother with the twins tonight.

Lovino and Feliciano hold onto that small ounce of hope as their hearts thump wildly in their chests, their arms wrapped around each other. There's a moment of silence, both brother's holding their breaths as they listen out for their guardian. Sadly, that small ounce of hope is shattered when a gruff voice mutters something quietly and the footsteps start up again, even close and louder now.

Lovino feels his brothers body shake violently as their bedroom door swings open and the man they feared more than anything stumbled inside, a half empty bottle of beer held in one of his hands.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" the deep voice growls and Lovino turns slightly, looking up at their guardian.

"Nothing, Uncle Marcello." He says calmly, not letting his voice shake. Not allowing the older man to know how scared he is.

The dark haired man scoffs and takes a few steps forward, the beer in his bottle sloshing as he swings his arms.

"Fucking right you're doing nothing," he sneers, taking a sip and making a face. "You're both fucking useless the pair of you."

Feliciano flinches at the harsh words and bites his lip. He can feel the tension building in his brother's body as he tries to control his temper. But he knows better than to lash out at their uncle.

They both do.

"Don't know why I even bother letting you stay here, all you do is fuck everything up." he says roughly.

Marcello takes a long drink of his beer, finishing off the bottle. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand before carelessly flinging the bottle in the twin's direction. Feliciano squeaks as the bottle collides with his cheek rather hard before falling to the floor and shattering.

"What the fuck, you little shit! Can't you do anything right?" Marcello yells and storms towards them, grabbing the younger twin by the front of his shirt and yanking him up.

Lovino bolts of the bed, ripping the man's hands off Feliciano before pushing him away quickly.

"That wasn't his fault!" he yells back, angrily. "You threw the bottle."

The uncle's eyes narrow darkly and he quickly has a hand wrapped around Lovino's throat.

"How dare you fucking speak back to me!" he roars before throwing the boy to the glass covered floor.

Lovino cries out and curls in on himself quickly, expecting what comes next. A hard, black, leather boot collides with his stomach, knocking all of the air out of his lungs as he gasps in pain.

"Worthless piece of shit," the man mutters as he delivers a few more hard kicks to the boy's chest, side and back.

"Stop it!" Feliciano cries, desperately trying to pull the man away from his brother's battered body.

He grips his uncle's arm and manages to throw him off balance, causing him to stumble into the wall. Marcello looks to the younger twin once he gains his balance and growls in his throat before launching forward.

Feliciano tries to run but the man quickly grabs his nephew by the hair and pulls him back roughly. He finds the boys arm, twisting it harshly until the boy crumbles to the floor, crying out in pain. The older man merely sneers and backhands him across the face before throwing him to the floor beside his brother.

"Waste of space.." Marcello mutters to himself as he turns to leave, striding towards the door.

"Clean that up." he throws over his shoulder before slamming the bedroom door shut.

Lovino winces as he pushes himself up to sit, his bruised body aching and his arms stinging, splintered with small shards of glass. Feliciano's at his side in seconds, arms wrapped around his neck as he finally lets his tears fall, crying quietly into his brother's shoulder.

The older twin wraps Feliciano up in his arms, cradling the younger boy to his chest as he strokes his hair and kisses his head.

"Shh, it's okay.. Are you alright?" he asks quietly, one hand travelling to his brother's injured arm.

Feliciano winces at the touch but doesn't stop him, nodding silently against his brother's neck.

"Are you?"

Lovino nods too, pulling him closer.

The two stay like that for a while, Lovino gently carding his fingers through Feliciano's hair as his brother calms down, his sobs slowly stopping. It's only when the older twin notices that Feliciano is falling to sleep that he decides to move.

"Come on, let's get cleaned up then head to bed."

The younger of the two nods and stands slowly, rubbing his eyes in a childish manner that has Lovino smiling to himself. Feliciano fetches a damp cloth and some pain killers from the bathroom while Lovino clears up the pieces of broken bottle.

They sit on Feliciano's bed and Lovino gently presses the cloth to his brother's bruised cheek who smiles gratefully. He checks over Feliciano's arm too then tends to his own injuries before tossing the cloth away.

Feliciano hands him a glass of water and two of the painkillers, watching his brother swallow them before climbing into bed.

"Lovi," he says quietly when the older twin starts to stand. "Will you stay with me, please?"

Lovino looks down at his twin and nods silently, climbing into bed beside him. He lets Feliciano cuddle into him before draping the covers back over them.

It doesn't take long for Feliciano to fall asleep, his face nuzzled into his brother's shirt as he snores quietly. Lovino sighs shakily and looks down at his twin, watching him sleep for a moment. He smiles slightly, despite what had happened. It still amazed him how quickly his brother could fall asleep. He presses a kiss to the top of his Feliciano's head, wishing he could sleep as easily.

"Soon," he whispers softly. "I'll get us out of here soon. I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** – Hi guys! I must apologize for this chapter, I feel like it's a bit all over the place. Plus I haven't had a chance to proofread this yet as I've been writing for 3 hours and it's 4 o'clock in the morning...oops. Bit of a sad chapter, where you will find out a bit more about Feliciano and Lovino's past/life living with their uncle. Buuuut we also get to meet Germany and the Awesome Prussia! Hope you like it, reviews/feedback is always welcome. ~PastaCurls

**Summary – **Feliciano and Lovino's parents died in a car crash when they were 2. The twins were taken in by their grandfather and lived happily. When the twins are 11 their grandfather falls ill and passes away, leaving the twins with their only remaining family member - an abusive, alcoholic uncle.

**Rating** – M

**Warnings** – Violence, swearing and smut.

**Main Pairing** – Italy/Romano (BROTHERLY LOVE, NO ITACEST)

**Other Pairing(s)** – GerIta, Spamano, USUK

Feliciano wakes with a yawn the next morning, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He pushes himself up to sit slowly, careful not to wake his brother. The youngest twin looks down at Lovino as he sleeps, smiling softly at the peaceful expression on his face.

He carefully climbs out of his bed and stretches his arms above his head, cracking his back with a sigh. He glances at the small trash can in the corner of the room, the shattered remains of the beer bottle inside. A shudder runs through his body as the memory of last night appears in his mind. He sighs shakily, heading out of the bedroom and walking quietly down the hallway. He steps into the bathroom, closing the door gently before looking himself over in the mirror. Five finger-shaped marks wrap around his left arm and a dark purple bruise decorates his right cheek.

Feliciano sighs softly as he looks at his reflection, fingers brushing his bruised cheek. He doesn't like the way he looks. His arms and legs are too skinny, little muscle to be found on them. His short, thin frame making him a walking target for bullies when he's at school.

Feliciano smiles slightly as he thinks of school that would be starting in a couple of hours. He likes going to school, despite the bullies. He likes being away from home for a few hours, a chance to get away from everything. Lovino doesn't like school, though. Apparently it's full of annoying, nosy bastards that try to pry into everybody else's lives because theirs are too boring. Feliciano doesn't mind.

They don't have many friends at school, more because Lovino prefers it that way. He didn't let Feliciano get too close to anyone, they didn't need people getting involved in their life. Feliciano hadn't been able to understand why his brother acted like this, it took him a long time to figure it out.

Lovino was simply afraid of being separated from his twin. The thought of child services getting involved in their situation terrified him, Feliciano realised after an argument the two had one night. It had happened after one of the worst beatings the two had ever had from their uncle.

Marcello had come home drunk and furious after losing a large amount of money in a poker game. The fuming man had marched upstairs and unleashed hell on the twins. Lovino, as always, had taken most of the beating to protect his brother. This left the eldest twin lying unconscious on their bedroom floor, his body battered and bleeding.

Feliciano had been so scared that his brother was going to die from his injuries. He managed to carry Lovino downstairs once his uncle was gone and out of the house. He'd carried Lovino down their street, a fair distance from their house and called an ambulance. He'd lied to the phone operator and the hospital doctors, saying that the two had been mugged on their way home from a friend's house.

Lovino was hospitalized with a severe concussion, three cracked ribs, a fractured hip and a lot of internal bleeding. He'd had to stay in hospital for two weeks while his injuries healed. They were the worst two weeks of Feliciano's life.

When Lovino had woken the day after the incident and found himself in a hospital bed with Feliciano sleeping in a chair beside it, he'd panicked. He'd shook his brother awake and burst into a rage, fearing his twin had told the doctors what had happened and that child services were going to get involved and split them up. Feliciano had quickly told his brother his lie and assured him that child services wouldn't be getting involved.

The eldest brother had broken down in tears at that and sobbed into his little brother's chest, holding onto him so tightly. Feliciano had cried too, his brother had been so broken, physically and emotionally. It was heart breaking.

Feliciano looks back at his reflection in the mirror, sighing shakily before opening the medicine cabinet and picking up the small tub of concealer he kept hidden behind the toothpaste. He turns on the tap and washes his face before drying it off. He picks up the concealer again and applies a little to his cheek. He covers up the bruise as good as he can before placing the concealer back in the cabinet.

After giving his reflection one more glance he heads back to his bedroom. He can hear Lovino's soft snoring, indicating he was still sleeping. He changes into some clean clothes, making sure to pull on a long sleeved shirt that covered his arms. Glancing at the clock he walks over to his bed and shakes his brother gently.

"Lovi, wake up." he says softly. "You need to get ready for school."

Lovino groans quietly and rolls onto his front, burying his face into his pillow with a shake of the head.

"I can't be bothered with those bastards today." He mumbles.

Feliciano smiles and shakes his head, frowning when he notices the small cuts littering his brother's arms. He lifts a hand, letting his fingers gently trace a few of the cuts. Lovino lifts his head from his pillow at the touch and glances at his brother. The younger twin quickly pulls his hand away, wrapping his arms around himself as he meets Lovino's tired eyes.

"Lovi..." he says slowly, his eyes pleading. "I really think I should get a job."

Lovino sighs at his brother's words. "Feliciano, we've been through this-"

"I know, I know. But if I get a job, we can save up money quicker. And the quicker we save money, the quicker we can find our own place and get out of here." The youngest twin says hopefully, smiling at his brother.

"Feliciano, you need to concentrate on school. You're doing well with your grades, I don't want you to slip when you've been working so hard. My grades suck whether I study or not so it's easier for me to work." Lovino says as he sits up, stretching his back before climbing out of bed with a wince.

Feliciano frowns as he watches his brother before looking down to his lap. "You're not stupid though, Lovi. You could have good grades if you let me help you. Or let Antonio help you. He helped me with my English assignments and-"

"No." Lovino snaps, getting dressed quickly. "You know how much I hate that tomato bastard. Why the hell would I let him tutor me?"

Feliciano holds back a smile and shrugs softly. "Maybe because you like him.."

Lovino's face has considerably reddened when he turns to glare his brother. "Why the hell would I like that ridiculous, tomato bastard? He's so annoying and needy, and damn near stalks me when we're in school. And another thing, he-"

Feliciano rolls his eyes as he listens to his brother fume, looking down at his shoes. Antonio, or Tomato Bastard, as Lovino calls him, is a boy that goes to their school. Since the twins' first day in high school, the Spaniard had been all over Lovino. He made it deliberately clear that he liked the Italian boy by talking to him every chance he got, walking him to and from his classes, sitting by him at lunch or when they had free periods. Feliciano didn't mind Antonio. He was nice and he always looked out for him in school, offering to help the younger twin if he was struggling with school work or telling bullies to back off when he was being picked on. He also likes the Spaniard because he could see how much he cared for Lovino. Sure, he could be a bit creepy at times when he practically followed his twin around school, but he was sweet.

Feliciano looks back up to see Lovino was still ranting about Antonio as he finished getting dressed and grabs his school bag. The younger twin stood to do the same, tugging on his coat and grabbing his bag before following his brother downstairs.

The two head to the kitchen, glad to see their uncle wasn't there. The man was most likely passed out on his bedroom floor, if the amount of empty beer bottles littering the kitchen floor and table was anything to go by.

Lovino set to work tidying up the kitchen while Feliciano roots through the cupboards and fridge for something for them to eat. He sighs at the lack of food and turns around to help his brother. Lovino frowns as he glanced at the bare cupboards and then to his brother. He hates how skinny Feliciano was. He, himself, was fairly skinny too, but he had a bit more muscle on him than his twin.

Standing up, he tossed the empty bottles into the bin before dropping his bag onto the table.

"Finish tidying up while I go for a piss, yeah?" he said to his brother who nodded.

Lovino heads up the stairs to his and Feliciano's room quickly, walking over to their closet. He opens the door, reaching up to the top shelf. He felt around before finding the small black bag he kept stashed at the back of the shelf. Tugging it down and looking inside, Lovino sighs at the small amount of money inside. Pulling out one of the crumpled notes, he closes the bag before shoving it back on the shelf. Making sure to close the closet door, Lovino heads back downstairs to meet his brother.

"Ready?" he asked as he walked into the kitchen.

Feliciano nods with a smile, zipping up his coat and grabbing his bag before following his twin out of the door.

~o~

Lovino walks quickly to his locker once they get to school, Feliciano trailing behind him. The eldest twin unlocks his locker door and pulls out his school books, shoving them into his bag before closing it again. He glances at the large clock hanging on the wall.

8.43am.

He just had enough time to get Feliciano some breakfast before they went to class.

"Come on," he grabs his brother's wrist and tugs him down the corridor, towards the cafeteria.

He pushes his way through the busy hallways easily, most of the students moving out of the way, used to the grumpy Italian's behaviour.

Lovino sighs once they reach the cafeteria, turning to his brother and handing him the money. "Get something to eat quickly. Class starts soon."

Feliciano looks up at his brother and frowns slightly. "We need that money to save up..." he mumbled.

Lovino frowns back at him and rolls his eyes. "We still have to eat, Feliciano. You're already wasting away." He huffs, looking away. "I'll work some extra shifts, its fine."

The younger twin looks nods softly and wraps his brother in a hug. "You're the best brother ever." He smiles.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Let go." The eldest huffs as he pulls away, clearing his throat, noticing that people are watching them. "Hurry up, we need to get to class."

Feliciano smiles again and skips over to the counter excitedly to get them some food. Lovino sighs but can't hold back his smile.

His attention is drawn away when he hears two loud voices shouting in the hallway, two voices he'd never heard before. He glances back at Feliciano before walking out into the hallway to see what was going on. Just as he steps out, a tall, thin figure crashes into him, sending him flying to the floor.

"What the hell?" he yells, struggling under the person's weight.

He looks up, his eyes narrowed at the stranger. The person currently on top of him was a tall, pale boy he'd never seen before. The boy's hair was white and his eyes a dark red. He was smirking as he looked down at Lovino, sending the Italian into a fit of rage.

"Get the fuck off me!" he shoved the boy off of himself before standing quickly, his fists clenched tightly.

"Lovino?" Feliciano calls, rushing to his brother after hearing the commotion. "Are you alright?"

"Calm down, man. It was an accident. No need to be totally unawesome." The strange boy says with a smirk as he stands, brushing himself off.

Lovino detects the strong German accent as the boy speaks. His anger rises and he steps towards the boy quickly, grabbing the front of his shirt. "I don't give a shit if I'm being 'totally unawesome', you fucking knocked me over!"

"Lovi…" Feliciano says anxiously, looking around at the crowd that's slowly appearing around them, eager eyes expecting a fight.

A new voice cuts in, laced with the same thick accent and the white haired boy's.

"Gilbert, what the hell are you doing? Mein Gott, it's our first day..." he almost sighs as he walks over to where Lovino is still grasping the boy's shirt.

Feliciano looks up as the voice approaches, his eyes widening slightly. An extremely tall blonde boy walks towards them, his frame large and muscular and an irritated expression on his face.

"Relax Bruder, it was an accident." 'Gilbert' says, rolling his eyes.

The blonde frowns at his brother before turning to face the twins, folding his arms over his chest. His eyes linger on Feliciano for a moment before he looks to the older twin.

"Let go of my brother." He speaks calmly.

The Italian looks the blonde up and down, narrowing his eyes again but releases Gilbert's shirt with a huff.

"Your 'brother' almost fucking killed me. He needs to watch where he's going." Lovino fumes, looking back to Gilbert with a snarl.

Feliciano stays quiet but rolls his eyes at his brother. He always was a bit dramatic.

Gilbert just laughs and holds his hands up. "Look, chill out, I'm sorry. Stop being so unawesome."

"Stop saying that!" Lovino snaps, taking a step forward again.

Feliciano quickly moves in front of his brother, placing his hands against his chest. "Lovi, calm down, he said he's sorry."

"Yeah, Lovi." The white haired boy teases with a smirk.

"You bastard! Who the hell-" The eldest twin is cut off by the school bell ringing, signalling they had two minutes until class started.

"Look, I'm sorry about my brother's behaviour. I assure you it won't happen again." The blonde boy says and his brother rolls his eyes and walks away, obviously bored.

"Its fine," Feliciano says quickly, looking up at the boy shyly. Lovino stays quiet as he watches the two, frowning slightly.

"I'm Ludwig, by the way." He holds out one of his large hands to Feliciano, his stern expression softened now. "And that, unfortunately, was my brother. Gilbert."

Feliciano hesitantly shakes the boy's hand, biting his lip at how firm his grasp was. He blushes slightly as he speaks. "I'm Feliciano and this is my brother, Lovino."

Ludwig looks to the taller twin, offering his hand again. Lovino makes a face and quickly grabs Feliciano's arm.

"Just keep yourself and your stupid brother away from us, alright?" He huffs, catching Feliciano's arm and dragging away from the blonde.

Feliciano looks back over his shoulder to see Ludwig watching them go. He blushes darkly but offers the taller boy a small smile before Lovino tugs him round a corner and down another hallway.

"Can you believe the nerve of that guy? Bastard… If he comes near me again, I swear-" Lovino abruptly cuts off when he notices Feliciano isn't listening to him, looking down with a small smile on his face.

The eldest frowns and releases his arm as they walk to their class. "What the hell are you smiling about?"

Feliciano looks up at his brother quickly and shrugs. "Ludwig was nice, don't you think?"

Lovino stops abruptly, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at his brother.

"What? How could you- they're both fucking idiots." He says sharply, folding his arms. "I mean it Feliciano. They're trouble, stay away from them."

The younger twin frowns slightly but decides to drop the matter. There was no point getting into an argument with his brother, once Lovino got started he wouldn't stop. And they were already late for class.

"Alright…" He says with a small shrug. "Let's get to class, yeah?"

Lovino eyes his brother suspiciously before nodding and walking towards their class. He stops again when a thought hit him.

"Did you get any breakfast?"

Feliciano blushes lightly and shakes his head. "No… I heard you yell and I panicked. I didn't get a chance to buy anything."

Lovino frowns and looks to the clock on the wall. It was too late to go back and get something to eat now.

"Can you wait until lunch?" He asked softly, trying to hide the concern in his voice as he looks his brother over.

The younger of the two nods softly and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, I'll be fine, Lovi."

"…Alright. Let's go then." He says and the two hurry to their class.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** - I know I've put this chapter up a bit early, but I was just inspired to write... Anyways, I hope you like it! Reviews/feedback is always welcome. ~PastaCurls

**Summary – **Feliciano and Lovino's parents died in a car crash when they were 2. The twins were taken in by their grandfather and lived happily. When the twins are 11 their grandfather falls ill and passes away, leaving the twins with their only remaining family member - an abusive, alcoholic uncle.

**Rating** – M

**Warnings** – Violence, swearing and smut.

**Main Pairing** – Italy/Romano (BROTHERLY LOVE, NO ITACEST)

**Other Pairing(s)** – GerIta, Spamano, USUK

* * *

><p>Lovino's leg bounces as he sits in his third lesson of the day, Science. He absolutely hates the subject. He's given up listening in the lessons and tends to doodle in his work book. He's tried countless times to listen to his teacher, Mr Edelstein, during lessons but the complicated formulas and equations of physics go straight in one ear and out of the other.<p>

The Italian lets out a sigh of relief as the bell rings, signalling the end of lesson and the start of lunch time. He quickly collects his books and pencil before making for the door.

"Mr Vargas, would you stay behind for a moment please?" His teacher's voice stops him in his tracks.

He curses under his breath and turns around, walking to his teacher's desk reluctantly.

"Lovino," Mr Edelstein almost sighs in his Austrian accent. "I've looked over your work from our last lesson."

"Let me guess," Lovino cuts in bitterly. "It's a pile of shit, I'm going to fail Science, and you're disappointed in me, blah blah blah."

Mr Edelstein frowns slightly, sitting up straighter in his chair. "Less of the attitude please, and watch your language."

Lovino huffs quietly, glancing up at the clock. "I'm sorry... Can I go now? I need to meet my brother."

"Not just yet," the teacher says. "Your grades are appalling and you'll be leaving school in a few months. A lot of teachers would have given up on you by now, but I believe you can pass my class if you tried a little harder and had the right support."

Lovino frowns. "Support?"

"Yes, a tutor to be exact." Mr Edelstein says with a small smile. "I've chosen a student from one of the other classes to tutor you during your free periods. He is also willing to tutor you after school if you'd like."

"I don't want a fucking tutor," he sighs, looking away.

"Language." The older man says sternly before sighing softly. "Lovino, you're a smart boy. Anyone can see that."

Said boy fidgets under the man's gaze, refusing to look at him.

"I do believe you can pass this class, and your other classes. Please give the tutoring a try. Your brother benefited greatly from tutoring with other students, and you can be the same." the teacher says honestly, looking up at the boy. "Do it for Feliciano. I know he would want you to do well."

The Italian glances at the clock again at the mention of his brother and sighs quietly, running a hand through his hair.

"Fine, alright. I'll try it." He says after a moment.

"Excellent." Mr Edelstein says happily before standing and gathering his things. "You have a free period this afternoon, correct? Fifth period?"

Lovino nods slowly, already regretting agreeing to the man.

"Alright. I'll let Mr Carriedo know that you'll be waiting in the library for him." Mr Edelstein says before exiting the classroom.

The teacher barely makes it three steps from the room before he hears the Italian.

"What!?"

~o~

Lovino storms through the school hallways, muttering angrily to himself. There was no way he would have agreed to tutoring if he'd known who would be his tutor.

Running a hand through his hair he turns a corner, heading towards his locker. Feliciano would be waiting for him there; they always met up for dinner at his locker.

He spots his brother waiting patiently next to his locker and jogs over to him. Feliciano looks up when he notices his twin and smiles.

"Hey, Lovi." He links his arm with his brother's, much to Lovino's dismay. "How were your lessons?"

"Shit, as always." He says bitterly, causing his twin to chuckle as they walk to the cafeteria.

"You should lighten up a little, Lovi. School isn't all bad." Feliciano says with a smile.

Lovino grunts in response as they join the back of the dinner queue. He untangles his arm from his brother's and shoves his hands in his pockets.

The younger twin rolls his eyes with a smile and bounces on his heels, eager to get some food.

The two buy a burger each and some fries before finding a table at the back of the cafeteria. Feliciano tucks into his burger straight away while Lovino nibbles at his fries, glancing around the crowded hall.

It's not long before they're joined at the table. Lovino looks up and glares as the reason for his anger sits himself right beside him on the bench.

"Hi Feli, hi Lovi." Antonio says happily, smiling at the Italian boys.

"Don't call me that," Lovino growls, shoving a few fries into his mouth while Feliciano just smiles at their 'friend'.

"Aw, why not? It's a cute nickname." The Spaniard chuckles as he unwraps his own lunch. "Besides, you let Feli call you it all the time."

Lovino narrows his eyes and shuffles away from the other boy. Antonio just laughs and tucks into his burger.

"I'm guessing Mr Edelstein spoke with you?"

Lovino glares at the Spanish boy, huffing. "I wouldn't have agreed to it if I'd have known it was you."

"Aw, Lovi. Don't be so mean." Antonio pouts.

Feliciano tilts his head as he looks between the two. "Agreed to what?"

Before Lovino can speak Antonio answers for him.

"I'm going to tutor Lovi."

"Lovino." The older Italian growls.

"Lovi, that's great!" Feliciano grins. "I know you can do well."

Lovino huffs again, folding his arms and glaring at nothing in particular.

"What's his problem?" A loud voice suddenly interrupts.

The three look up to see two familiar blonde boys approaching the table. Each take a seat at the table with their lunches. The one who'd spoken, Alfred, tucks into his hamburger eagerly, causing some of the sauce to drip down his chin. The blonde sitting to his left, his face adorned with thick bushy eyebrows and a scowl, picks up one of the napkins off the table and daps at Alfred's chin.

"Honestly, you're like a child sometimes." he mutters, his British accent showing in his words.

Alfred rolls his eyes but lets the Brit clean his face, enjoying the attention.

"Am not." He says childishly, smirking.

The Brit, Arthur, rolls his eyes and tosses the napkin onto the table before sipping at his bottle of water.

Alfred laughs and turns back to look at the glaring Italian again. "What's up his ass?"

Antonio chuckles as Lovino swears under his breath. "He's pissed off because I'm tutoring him in Science."

"Ah." The American boy says, shrugging. "I don't see what the big deal is. Arthur tutors me all the time with my classes."

"Yes, but I think you two do a little more than tutoring, no?" Another voice cuts in.

All heads turn as another blonde boy sits at the table, a smirk evident on his face.

Arthur scowls at him. "What's that supposed mean, frog?"

"I think you know exactly what it means, Arthur." The boy says in a French accent, smirking again.

"Why you bloody cheeky wan-" the Brit starts but is cut off by Alfred wrapping a long arm around his shoulders.

"Calm down, man. Francis is just teasing." The American says with a smile, liking how the English boy leans into him.

Francis rolls his eyes at the two. "You two need to get over yourselves and shag already."

"You bastard!" The Brit growls before lunging himself across Alfred to grab at the French boy.

Francis shrieks as Arthur pulls his hair, batting at the shorter boy. Alfred quickly wraps his arms around Arthur's waist, tugging him off the French boy and to his chest.

Arthur struggles in his hold for a moment before sighing and folding his arms over his chest. It takes him a moment to realise he's sat on Alfred's lap, blushing darkly and moving to sit back on the bench.

Lovino rolls his eyes at them all as he eats. "Bastards..."

Feliciano smiles at his brother before looking back to his now empty plate with a sigh. Lovino notices and slides his plate over to his twin, resting his arms on the table.

"But-" Feliciano says quietly to his brother, the other boys talking amongst themselves.

"I don't want it." Lovino says quietly, glancing at him.

"Are you sure?" Feliciano tilts his head and Lovino rolls his eyes.

"Yes. Just eat it."

Feliciano doesn't argue and quickly scoffs down the rest of the fries and burger. The twins look up when they hear Alfred laugh, realising they were being watched.

"Man, do you not get fed at home or something Feli?" The American says jokingly.

Lovino's anger boils at the comment and Feliciano ducks his head to hide his tears. The older twin quickly stands, knocking the table as he does.

"Leave him the fuck alone." He growls, grabbing Feliciano's arm before quickly pulling his brother out of the cafeteria.

"Lovino." Antonio calls after him, biting his lip.

Francis frowns as he watches the twins leave, and Arthur kicks Alfred's leg under the table. "Well done."

"I didn't mean to upset them! What did I say?" The American says with a frown, rubbing his sore leg.

Antonio sighs softly. "I have no idea..."

~o~

Feliciano sighs as he walks out of his lesson, holding his books to his chest. Alfred's comment had thrown him off guard and upset him probably more than it should have. Lovino had dragged him thought the school hallways and taken him to the nearest bathroom while he calmed down. After a few tears and reluctant cuddle from his brother, Feliciano had felt a bit better, and the two had headed to their classes.

The youngest twin walks to his locker so he can put his maths books away quickly before his next lesson. He finds his locker, opening it and shoving his books inside quickly. He freezes when he feels eyes on him and closes his locker gently before slowly looking over his shoulder.

A pair of intense blue eyes are watching him, their owner leaning back against a locker a bit further down the hallway. The tall blonde looks a lot calmer now, and Feliciano wonders if it's because Gilbert isn't with him. Feliciano's cheeks flush when Ludwig doesn't look away, offering a shy smile before forcing himself to turn away.

He makes sure his locker is closed before turning to head to his next lesson. He walks quickly, feeling eyes boring into the back of his head. He sighs shakily, not sure whether he's scared or happy about that. As he turns the corner he bumps into a tall figure, causing them to drop the book they were holding.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Feliciano apologizes, not even looking up at the other person. He moves to pick the book up when a hand is suddenly fisted in the front of his shirt and he's pushed back against one of the concrete walls.

He squeaks in surprise at the force and looks up hesitantly. His face pales when he realises who he's bumped into. A pair of dark, brown eyes stare back at him, an evil smirk gracing the taller boy's lips.

"S-Sadiq, I'm sorry. I didn't m-mean to-" The Italian stutters, unable to look at the Turkish boy.

This is bad. This is very, very bad, Feliciano thinks. Sadiq Adnan wasn't too fond of the youngest Italian, or the eldest for that matter. The boy was known for being a bully, throwing his weight around and intimidating the majority of students in the school. Even the teachers are a little weary of him. Nobody crosses him.

Except- Feliciano just accidentally has.

"Hi, _Feli_." The Turkish boy sneers, his fist tightening in Feliciano's shirt, pressing the smaller boy harder into the wall.

Feliciano bites his lip, doing his best to suppress the whimper threatening to leave his lips. He's worried that he might have actually found somebody that rivaled his uncle Marcello when it came to scaring him.

"I'm s-sorry," he says again and he's shaking. "Please… I need t-to get to my class."

Sadiq laughs darkly, making a face as he looks down at Feliciano. People are starting to notice them now, and gather around eagerly to watch.

"You're so fucking weak, Feliciano." The Turkish boy sneers the name before leaning his face close to the smaller boy's. "You're fucking pathetic."

This time Feliciano can't hold back the whimper and attempts to struggle out of Sadiq's grip. It does little to help and the taller boy easily slams him back against the wall, eliciting a cry from the Italian. He laughs and throws Feliciano to the floor, kicking him in the side. Feliciano whimpers again at the blow, curling in on himself.

Sadiq sighs, almost sounding bored. "Come on, Feli. At least try."

Feliciano doesn't move and the Turkish boy rolls his eyes, bending down to grab the boy by his shirt again, roughly pulling him up to look at him. He opens his mouth to speak but stops when the crowd stood around them gasps loudly. He frowns and looks up where he's crouching on the floor, and notices a tall blonde boy approaching them.

"Let him go."

Feliciano hesitantly looks up when he hears the familiar German accent. Ludwig is looking down at the two, his arms folded and a scowl present on his face.

Sadiq can't help the grin that appears on his face as he stands, dragging Feliciano up with him. He looks his opponent up and down, smirking.

"Why would I do that?" He drawls, pulling Feliciano closer who flinches. "I'm having so much fun."

The German boy's eyes are hard as he stares at Sadiq, unphased. "I'll ask you one more time, let him go."

Sadiq merely laughs, looking the blonde up and down again before slamming Feliciano back into the wall, eliciting another cry from the Italian.

In a flash Ludwig moves forward, his fist colliding with Sadiq's jaw. Caught off guard, the Turkish boy stumbles back, letting go of Feliciano the process. He holds his jaw, looking up at the blonde in shock for a second before smirking. He lunges forward, tackling Ludwig to the floor. The crowd around them cheer loudly as they watch the two boys fight, some pulling out their phones to video it. Feliciano can't move. He's glued to the wall as he watches the two boys wrestle on the floor, throwing punches and kicks.

Eventually the noise of the crowd draws the attention of a few teachers who quickly push their way past the spectators and pull the two boys apart.

"Stop this now!" One of the male teachers yells as he pulls Ludwig up, holding a hand against his chest. "You boys should know better than this."

Another teacher is holding Sadiq back and quickly takes him to the principal's office to calm down. Ludwig watches him go, smiling slightly before his eyes widen and he quickly, moves to Feliciano.

"Are you okay?" He asks quietly, laying a hand on the Italian's shoulder. Feliciano can't stop himself from flinching at the touch but nods slowly, offering the blonde a small, grateful smile.

Ludwig opens his mouth to speak again when the teacher behind them clears his throat. "Mr Beilschmidt, this is your first day here. Do you really think this is the best start?"

The blonde closes his mouth, keeping his hand on Feliciano's shoulder. "No," He says quietly. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Violence is not tolerated in this school, Ludwig. I'm going to have to-"

"Don't punish him." Feliciano suddenly speaks up, pushing himself off the wall and standing on shaky legs. "He didn't cause the fight. Sadiq did. Ludwig was just protecting me."

The teacher looks at the Italian, frowning when he notices how the small boy's frame is shaking and a bruise is appearing on the boy's cheek. He glances back at Ludwig and folds his arms.

"I'll let you off seen as this is your first day." He says, causing Ludwig to smile. "But, like I said, Mr Beilschmidt, we do not tolerate violence in this school. If you are involved in anything like this again, action will be taken. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir. It won't happen again." Ludwig says with a nod. "Thank you."

The teacher also nods before looking back at Feliciano. "Take him to the school nurse please. You may stay with him, I'll let your teacher's know you will be late to class."

Ludwig nods again before the teacher walks away. He looks back down to the Italian stood beside him, frowning at how violently the boy's body is trembling.

"Let's get you to the nurse." He says, placing a hand gently on the boy's back and leading him down the corridor.

It takes a few seconds for Feliciano to realise where they are heading. He abruptly stops, shaking his head gently. He can't let the school nurse examine him, god knows what she'd do when saw the state of his body.

"I'm fine, I don't need to see the nurse." He says quickly, offering a small smile. "Just a little shook up, is all."

Ludwig doesn't look convinced and raises an eyebrow. "Feliciano, you're more than a little shook up. It's better to get you checked over just in case."

Feliciano blushes as the German says his name but shakes his head again, biting his lip. "Please, Ludwig, I'm okay. I really don't want to see the nurse."

The blonde boy is frowning now as he watches Feliciano who fidgets under his gaze. He looks like he's going to argue again so the Italian quickly speaks.

"How about you take me to my brother. He has a free period, he should be in the library. I just need to sit down for a few minutes, then I'll be fine. I promise."

Ludwig stares at him for a few seconds, considering, before he sighs and nods. "Alright, I'll take you to your brother."

Feliciano smiles slightly, the feeling of Ludwig's hand resting on his back feels strangely nice. He leans into the touch as they walk along the empty corridors, most students already in their lessons.

"Um," Feliciano says quietly after a minute of silence. "Thank you for helping me back there… You didn't have to."

Ludwig shrugs as they walk, the library just at the end of the corridor. "It's fine. There was no need for what he did to you." He pauses for a moment. "Does that happen to you a lot?"

Feliciano sighs with a small shrug. "Sometimes. Not always him, though. I'm not exactly the toughest guy here, I'm an easy target for the likes of Sadiq." He admits.

Ludwig frowns at this and opens the door to the library, holding it open for Feliciano. The Italian blushes and walks inside, looking around for his brother. He spots him sitting at a table in the corner with Antonio, waving his arms about as he argues with the Spanish boy over something. He rolls his eyes at his brother's behaviour and walks towards them.

"Is he always so-" Ludwig starts quietly, searching for a word "-grumpy?"

Feliciano laughs lightly and nods. "All the time."

The two approach the table and Antonio glances up, frowning when he sees the younger Italian. Lovino must notice the look on his face, as he quickly spins around, also frowning when he sees Feliciano.

"What the hell happened?" he storms over to the two, placing a hand on his brother's cheek as he looks him over.

Lovino frowns as he looks at his twin's bruised cheek. He knew Feliciano had covered it up this morning. He lets out a shaky breath, his anger rapidly building.

"Who the fuck did this?" He asks before glancing at Ludwig. "Was it him? You bastard! I told you to stay away from my brother you-"

"Lovi," Feliciano interrupts gently, rubbing his side sore ribs absently. "It wasn't Ludwig. Sadiq was picking on me, Ludwig stepped in and stopped him. He saved me."

Lovino continues to glare at the blonde who stands beside Feliciano awkwardly. Antonio stands up and walks over to the three, wrapping an arm around Feliciano.

"Thank you for helping Feli, Ludwig, was it?" the Spanish boy smiles as the blonde nods, before guiding Feliciano to the table so he can sit down.

Lovino huffs quietly, glancing over at his brother before looking back up to the blonde. "This doesn't mean I like you."

Ludwig raises an eyebrow as the oldest Italian walks over to the table, sitting beside Feliciano who's still shaking slightly. The lighter haired boy curls into his brother's side, sighing quietly.

"Where else are you hurt?" Lovino asks quietly, wrapping an arm around Feliciano, ignoring the way Antonio is smiling at them.

"Just my ribs a little." Feliciano says, relaxing against his twin and closing his eyes.

"Maybe you should see the nurse, Feli." Antonio says with a small frown, worrying about the small Italian.

"I agree." Ludwig says slowly.

The blonde watches the twins, noticing how they both tense at the idea. Lovino shakes his head, tightening his hold slightly. "He'll be fine."

Antonio frowns at the older twin, biting his lip. "Lovi, he should really get checked out. He's shaking."

The Spanish boy reaches out to place a hand on Feliciano's arm, causing the boy to flinch. Lovino clenches his jaw, glaring at the dark haired boy.

"I said he's fine, just leave him the fuck alone." He snaps. "Come on, Feliciano."

The eldest twin stands causing Feliciano to pout. His brother was quite comfortable to lean on. He stands slowly, legs not as shaky as before, and moves to his brother's side. Lovino wraps and arm around him again and leads him out of the library.

"Lovi, what about your tutoring?" the younger Italian asks with a frown as they walk down the hallway.

"Fuck it, he was pissing me off anyway." Lovino says quietly, leading them into an empty classroom.

He closes the door before sitting Feliciano down at a desk. He sighs, brushing his thumb over his brother's cheek. Having not seen the bruise that morning, Lovino is surprised at how dark and sore it looks. He grits his teeth and drops his hand.

"What the fuck were you doing, Feliciano?" He asks, running a hand through his hair. "I told you to stay out of trouble. We don't need this shit."

Feliciano ducks his head slightly, wrapping his arms around himself as his brother stands in front of him. "I didn't mean to. I walked into Sadiq by accident."

Lovino sighs frustratedly, looking to his brother before a worrying thought hits him.

"Ludwig," he says. Feliciano's head snaps up at the mention of the blonde, making Lovino frown. "Did he ask about your cheek?"

Feliciano shakes his head. "I think he thought Sadiq gave me it."

Lovino nods softly, looking more relaxed. He sighs softly and drops into the chair beside Feliciano, letting his brother lean into him again.

"What am I going to do with you?" he mutters quietly.

Feliciano smiles softly, finding Lovino's hand and giving it a squeeze. "What would you do without me?"

Lovino rolls his eyes but gives Feliciano's hand a small squeeze too, not letting go.

The two sit like that for a while before Feliciano decides he needs to go to his English class. Lovino walks him to the classroom, making sure nobody else bothers his brother.


End file.
